QUEEN’S PARK – The startling new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report shows that the urgent actions to cut emissions and transition to a clean economy proposed in the NDP’s climate plan, Climate. Jobs. Justice. A Green New Democratic Deal, are critical and cannot wait.
 
“Ontarians are already suffering the disastrous affects of climate change, each year we’re seeing more intense and frequent wildfires, tornadoes and floods that destroy people’s homes and communities,” said Peter Tabuns, NDP critic for the Climate Crisis. “The IPCC report is a call to action. This is our opportunity to shift to a cleaner, more sustainable economy, and ensure that our province – and our planet – is liveable for our children and grandchildren.”
 
The NDP’s climate plan is the boldest, strongest climate plan Ontario’s ever had. It commits to a comprehensive strategy to make Ontario net-zero by 2050, and to orchestrate a just transition to a clean economy, including the creation of 100,000 permanent full-time jobs created over eight years from an ambitious building retrofit program, and up to a million jobs resulting from the full platform. 
 
“The IPCC is telling us that we’re running out of time. It is absolutely critical that Ford start to implement the NDP’s climate plan and finally get serious about climate change, instead of continuing to make cuts that make the climate crisis worse,” said Sandy Shaw, NDP critic for Environment, Conservation and Parks. “If elected, the Ontario NDP would immediately get to work on achieving net-zero emissions in Ontario and transitioning to a clean economy in a way that will create jobs and makes sure no one is left behind.”
 
The IPCC report shows that the impact of climate change is already being felt around the world, but can be slowed if action is taken to reduce green house gas emissions.
 

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ONDP’s climate plan, Climate. Jobs. Justice. A Green New Democratic Deal 
Background: overview of key commitments
 

• Bring Ontario to net-zero emissions
  • Reduce Ontario’s GHG emissions by at least 50 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, targets consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the most ambitious aspects of the Paris Agreement.
  • Enshrine our GHG reduction targets, and interim targets, into law, using a carbon budgeting process to ensure 2030 and 2050 targets are met.
  • Restoring the powers of the Environment Commissioner of Ontario
  • A new, equitable, cap-and-trade system to replace the federal carbon backstop

• Change how we move: Transform transportation
  • Electrify the GO Train network on an accelerated timeline
  • Fund municipal transit systems to 50 per cent of their net operating costs and enable immediate service improvements, more transit routes, and increased ridership with more affordable fares
  • Electrify all municipal transit fleets by 2040
  • Implement Ontario’s first comprehensive zero-emissions vehicle strategy

• Change how we build: Retrofit program
  • A world-leading building retrofit program to improve energy efficiency, retrofitting five per cent of Ontario buildings per year
  • By 2030, all newly built public, residential and commercial buildings will conform to net-zero standards

• Guaranteed jobs
  • Training and support for the next generation of workers, as well as workers at all stages of their career, funding and fast-tracking workers with industry experience
  • New community-run recruitment centres for the skilled trades
  • Job training programs specifically in colleges and training institutes in Northern Ontario
  • Specific program focus on training people from marginalized communities, and those typically excluded from skilled trades, including women, racialized people, and Indigenous Peoples.
  • Establish Ontario’s first Youth Climate Corps.

• Transition the electricity supply
  • Bring emissions from electricity to 2017 levels, and achieving zero emissions by 2030
  • Expand hydro capacity, increase intermittent renewables including wind and solar power, create more grid scale storage, increase rooftop solar capacity on buildings, and major grid interconnection with Quebec and Manitoba to enable electricity imports

• Protect water and green spaces
  • Increase protection of Ontario parks and expand access to green spaces
  • Develop a Provincial Food Strategy and a Provincial Water Strategy

• Cut down waste
  • Develop a robust and comprehensive waste diversion strategy for the public sector

• Protect people’s health
  • Support for accessible and culturally relevant public health campaigns to ensure all Ontarians have accurate, up-to-date information about the climate crisis and health risks associated with air and water pollution

• Foster climate change resilience
  • Restore funding and power to conservation authorities
  • Plant one billion trees by 2030
  • Expand the Greenbelt